Table 1 Critical Steps in Brokered Dialogue
From: Brokered dialogue: A new research method for controversial health and social issues
Step No. | Critical Step | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Issue/topic selection | General requirements: |
a) issue of importance/social significance | ||
b) lack of publicly accessible dialogue among stakeholders, contributing to, or resulting in some form of challenge, controversy, problem or obstacle. | ||
2 | Introductory filmed interviews (documenting perspectives) | - in-depth open-ended filmed interviews conducted with each participant |
- Purposive sampling strategy: looking for a range of perspectives on a topic | ||
- Documentation of “baseline” positions to permit analysis of changes in positions/perspectives as a result of participation in the Brokered Dialogue | ||
3 | Identification of preliminary dialogue domains | - combined approach of reviewing initial filmed interviews and written transcripts (open coding) |
- identification of emergent themes and patterns within and between participants’ accounts (constant comparison) | ||
4 | ‘First cut’ edits | - based on initial analysis, first ‘cuts’ of individual interviews assembled |
- resultant film clips highlight key points of individual participants’ perspectives on topic | ||
- participatory editing process ensures participants are comfortable showing clips to other participants (decisions recorded) | ||
5 | Responses to first cuts | - first cut clips shared with other participants and responses filmed |
6 | Analysis of responsive sessions and ‘second cut’ edits | - building on initial analysis, review of responses and written transcripts (as per step 3 above) |
- focus on interaction with perspectives of others | ||
- results in a ‘second cut’ of footage from responses (as per step 4 above – including participatory editing) | ||
7 | Repeat | - The number of iterations depends on the complexity of the issue and dialogue, and the feasibility of continued iterations |
8 | Rough cut and assembly | - review of all approved footage, related transcripts by research team |
- iterative analysis between filmed footage and transcripts (constant comparison) | ||
- final decisions regarding inclusion of perspective-sharing/response/rebuttal (selective coding) | ||
- interview segments assembled to approximate dialogue | ||
- Aim is: | ||
- (a) present unique insights arising from the dialogue | ||
- (b) fair representation of the normative structure of the dialogue | ||
- (c) reflect any evolution or change of perspective for individual participants that have become apparent over the course of the Brokered Dialogue | ||
8 | Revisions and approval | - Rough cut assembly viewed by each participant |
- participants provide editorial feedback, can request edits to own footage (edits incorporated) | ||
- Each participant must provide approval for use of their footage | ||
9 | Final Cut and post-production | -Final versions of the film are prepared. |
-The length and content can be tailored to specific uses, e.g., teaching vs. a presentation at a public forum |